Label-holder for voting-machines.



Nq. 886,061. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908' V W. J. LAUSTERER.

LABEL HOLDER FOR VOTING MAGHINES.

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APPLIOATION FILED AUG.25, 1904.

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No. 886,061. I PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. W.'J. LAUSTERER'. LABEL HOLDER FOR VOTING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1904.

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UNITED SATS AT T WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER, OF JAMESTOWN, N EW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. STANDARD VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LABEL-HOLDER FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. LAUS- TERER, of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Label-Holders for Voting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in label holders particularly adapted for use on voting machines and has for its obj ect to provide a device in which the label or card or ballot sheet is locked in proper posi tion relative to the ballot indicators in order to prevent accidental or intentional displacement by unauthorized persons and to this end the invention consists in certain improvements hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of my label holder and its locking slide, showing its relation to the ballot indicators of the voting machine. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the holder and its locking slide. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the voting machine, showing the ends of a series of label holders and the means for securing the slides. Fig. 4 is a View of the catch for holding the securing bar in position; Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing the bar and the locking slide released. Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of locking bar. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portions of the device shown in Fig. 6, taken on the line XX of said figure.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The voting machine to which I have shown my invention applied and to which it is particularly adapted is of the general type shown in Letters Patent No. 647,657, the ballot indicators or keys being designated by the numeral 1 and having an operating portion movable across or in juxtaposition with the labels held in the holder, which labels bear the names of the candidates to whom the indicators are devoted. In the present embodiment the indicators or keys are arranged in party rows extending horizontally and in office columns extending vertically, therein differing from the mechanism shown in the prior patent. The labels, cards, or ballot sheets used in machines of this type generally, contain the names of several different candidates and it is important that they be secured in position relative to the indicators, so that they may not be accidentally or intentionally moved by unauthorized persons, as such movement would cause votes intended for one candidate to be registered for another. It is desirable, also, that the ballot sheets or cards be capable of being readily changed or altered for different elections by authorized persons only.

In carrying out my invention I preferably employ a casing or holder located in front of the machine, and embodying overhanging flanges at the top and bottom indicated by 2, beneath which the label indicated by 3 is arranged. These flanges are preferably formed on the edges of plates 4 secured to the front plate 5 of the machine by rivets or otherwise and between the overhanging flanges are arranged at suitable intervals, projections or studs 6 the edges of which are more or less inclined or wedge shaped and which may be stamped up from the plate 4 or may be formed by the heads of the rivets which secure said plates to the front plate 5 of the machine. are arranged at intervals of say, five or six inches apart and are adapted to cooperate with the rear sides of suitable slides or looking plates 7 movable longitudinally of the holders beneath the flanges and provided with apertures 8 adapted when the slides are moved to one position, say, -to the right, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 5, to register with the projections 6. The labels or cards 3 are arranged in front of the locking slides with their edges beneath the flanges 2, and as the projections 6 are beveled or rounded on their outer faces, said slides will, when moved to the left, (Figs. 1 and 3) be pressed outward clamping the outer sides of the labels against the inner sides of the flanges 2 and preventing the movement of the label. When, however, the slides are moved to the right, the aper- These studs or projections tures 8, therein, will be brought in line with the projections and the slide will be permitted to be moved rearwardly, releasing the cards orlabels so that they may be slid in the holders or removed entirely if desired.

The extreme ends of the slide, toward the right, in the present instance, are provided with upwardly turned ears or projections 9 which serve as a means for operating them and when moved to locking position these projections abut against a stationary bar 10, between which and a removable locking bar 11 they are securely held.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the bar 11 is attached to prevent accidental removal by the flexible connection or chain 20 and is provided on its rear side with headed studs 12, cooperating with keyhole slots 13 formed in the front plate of the ma chine so that when the bar 11 is applied by inserting the studs through the apertures 13 and moved down, the slides of the holders will be prevented from operation. The upward movement of the bar 11 may be prevented by any suitable securing device not accessible from the front of the machine, such, for instance, as the catch 14 pivoted on the rear side of the plate and having a shoulder adapted to engage with one of the studs 12 as shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown another form of locking bar provided with keyhole slots and on the front of the plate are provided the headed pins 15, so that when the bar is applied and moved downwardly, the locking slides will be secured and the bar itself be locked from vertical movement by means of one or more springs 16 secured thereon and having an aperture adapted to receive one of the studs 15, which latter is provided with a transverse aperture for the application of a securing lock of any suitable description that in the present embodiment being in the form of a wire loop 17 the ends of which are secured by a lead seal, 18 or otherwise.

While I prefer to employ the studs 6 with which the locking slides cooperate, located midway between the flanges 2 for the reasons ipreviously stated, I do not desire to be conned to this construction, as other cam or wedgelike means can be employed for causing the relative movement of the slide and flanges to secure the label.

I claim as my invention:

1. A label holder having the longitudinally extending overhanging flanges, a clamping plate in rear and movable lengthwise thereof between which and the said flanges the label is adapted to be secured and means for causing the positive movement of the clamping plate and flanges toward each other to clamp the label between them.

2. A label holder having the longitudinally extending overhanging flanges and a longitudinally movable locking slide ar ranged beneath said flanges between which the label is adapted to be secured and means for causing the positive movement of the locking slide toward the flanges when it is moved longitudinally.

3. A label holder having the overhanging flanges at the edges and a clamping plate beneath said flanges movable lengthwise thereof and means for causing the positively relative movement of the parts to clamp the label between them.

4. A label holder having the overhanging flanges at the edges and a longitudinally movable clamping plate arranged between the flanges, and a wedge between said holder and slide for causing their relative movement laterally of the flanges to clamp the label between the parts.

5. A label holder having overhanging flanges at the edges and projections arranged intermediate said flanges in combination with the locking plate movable beneath the flanges and having recesses with which said projections are adapted to cooperate when said plate is moved in one directlon.

6. A label holder consisting of a single plate of metal having the overhanging flanges at the edgesand projections arranged intermediate said flanges, in combination with a movable locking plate having its edges beneath the flanges and having recesses adapted to register with the projections when said plate is moved in one direction.

7. The combination of a label holder providedwith the overhanging flanges, with the clamping plate movable therein beneath said flanges, means for causing the movement of the clamping plate toward and from the flanges when actuated longitudinally thereof and means for securing the locking plate from longitudinal movement.

8. A label holder having the overhanging flanges, a slide having a limited longitudinal movement therein, means for giving said slide a lateral. movementwhen moved longitudinally relatively to the holder to lock a label in position and means for securing said slide in locking position.

9. A label holder having overhan ing flanges, a slide movable in said label ho lder having recesses, studs in said label holder adapted to register with said recesses in one position, said slide being capable of a limited movement to take said recesses out of register with said studs and give to said slide a lateral movement.

10. A label holder having overhan ing flanges, a slide movable in said label ho lder having recesses therein, studs in said label holder registering with the recesses in said slide, said studs projecting into said recesses when they register therewith, and permitting a lateral movement of said slide, said studs bearin against the solid portion of said slide when the recesses are moved out of register with the studs and holding said slides securely in a forward position.

11. The combination of a series of label holders, a locking slide for each of said label holders, a bar common to all said slides for holding them in looking osition, and means for locking said bar in its ocking position.

12. The combination of a stationary plate, a series of label holders thereon, a locking slide for each of said label holders, a locking bar common to said slides, having studs pass. ing through apertures in the plate, and a movable latch for securing said locking bar in its locking position.

13. The combination With a stationary plate, a plurality of label holders thereon,

movable members for clamping the labels in the holders, a locking bar for securing the members from operation, the locking bar and plate being provided With interlocking projections and recesses for securing the former in position to prevent the operation of the members.

14. The combination of a series of label holders, a locking slide for each of said holders, and a bar limiting the movement of said slides in one direction, a removable bar limiting the movement of said slide in the other direction and means for locking said removable bar.

1 5. Alabel holder provided with overhanging flanges, a locking slide arranged beneath said flanges, means for moving said slide to-- Ward and from the flanges and means for locking said slide in its locking osition.

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER. Witnesses:

MARTIN L. BADHORN, ALEXANDER OORCILIUS. 

